Monday, September 8, 2008

indeed people are my ministry...

Yes, indeed after 20 years of full-time ministry I needed to be told that people are my ministry!

For twenty years I have been an open book and the door to my office has been open.

For twenty years I have given my full attention to everyone who had the need to poke their head through my office door.

For twenty years I've listened to countless words of advice that I need to balance my ministry with people and create some space for myself and know when to close my door.

After 20 years of ministry I finally have the sanity to close my door to my office so that I can take care of my self so that when I open my door I can minister to all the people. I finally have the wisdom and the peace to carve out some time so that I can read and pray and just be.

I finally don't feel guilty about it.

The minute I find what ever it is I needed to find to close my door for part of the day I have people barging in my office unannounced and another minister telling me not to forget that ministry is about people.

Some people need a sane pastor who knows how to take care of himself. Some people need to learn how to respect the pastor. Some people.....

Oh well.

My door was open all day today.My door will be open most of the day tomorrow.Wednesday will come when I have had a high number of unpleasant experiences while at this church....I'll chose again to close my door.

My old mum used to say "Love thy neighbour, but don't pull down thy fence" The word selfish gets a bad press - it took me many years to learn that if I looked after myself a little bit then I had a lot more energy left to give to others - I am sure closing your door and getting stuff achieved now and then makes you a more patient Pastor when your door is open.

Followers

a bit of my story

My grandmother taught me the art of laughter. She also taught me to be honest about life. Along the way as I share the ups and downs of my journey I consistently bump into laughter.
Laughter is a many sided gift of which humor is only one aspect. I believe laughter is like prayer....with faith and hope there is always space for laughter. We laugh....for the last word will be justice and liberation and goodness!

faith and life

faith is an integral part of my life. every aspect of life holds a dose of faith.

Bishop Desmund Tutu

There are so many good people and so many beautiful things, and I want to be able to luxuriate in contemplating the goodness, the beauty, the laughter and the courage that is in the world.

ee cummings

the most wasted of all days is one without laughter.

Mark Twain:

"The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter."

Ricardo Levins Morales:

"Laughter is the sound of hope - Hope is the seed of power - Power is the combined force of a multitude of voices joined together...that began as a mere whisper, lost in the immense darkness and the ferocious cold and only kept alive by small improbable notes of laughter."

Anne Lamott:

“Laughter is carbonated holiness, It is effervescent, full of fizz.

A smile, a grin, or full-bodied laughter is such a gift in our super-serious world. It reminds us of friendship, of joy, of playfulness. And, it’s contagious."

Karl Barth:

"Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God."

Francois Fenelon:

"And the selfsame well from which laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears."